ZERO

Mnuchin calls on Congress to look into gun violence issue after school shooting, breaking with rest of White House - The Washington Post:

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday called on Congress to look into issues related to gun violence less than 24 hours after 17 people were killed in a school shooting in Florida.

(For the record ... no, I don't know how to pronounce his name either.)

"Gun Violence" has many faces; some of them have to do with honest, law-abiding citizens who would not dream of assaulting a citizen.
 But what if we find ourselves in a situation where we are faced with the decision whether to defend ourselves, and our home?

I don't know.  I just know how I deal with the issues on a day-by-day basis:



I have so many guns in my home,   I cannot honestly tell you how many there are. 

Twelve?  Twenty?  

I don't know, I don't care, but each and every firearm I own has a purpose; some are for competition, some are for hunting, and some are for defence .. of my self, my home, my family, my neighborhood or my property.

But I can tell you how many guns I own which have  threatened or taken the life of a human being;

• Zero

Millions of Americans could tell you the same; honestly, candidly  ... gun owners are not typically the rabid murderers you see on your television all-too often.
They are the quiet members of their community.

Gun owners are typically low-profile. quiet Americans whose only wish is to be ignored.  We do not threaten our neighbors.  Typically, our neighbors don't know that we are armed.

(Sometimes we are holders of "Concealed Carry Licenses", but often we don't "ask for governmental permission" to arm ourselves.   We often prefer the "low profile" of NOT being registered as "gun owners", and risk arrest and prosecution, rather than being "REGISTERED"  by a government which we don't trust.)

For the record: I am a registered gun owner:  I have a Concealed Firearms License.  No, I'm not THAT dubious about my Government; when my firearms is confiscated because of registration, I'll let you know.*

We may make our neighbors aware that our hobbies include going to shooting matches, but more often the subject never arises.   We are good neighbors.  We keep our lawns mowed, we take the trash bins off the curb after trash-day, and we do not allow flyers to accumulate on our doorsteps.

In short: we are 'at home", and we conduct ourselves as responsibly as do our neighbors.

We have a night-light over our doorstep to discourage burglars; we sometimes have a night-light on a post at our driveway for the same purpose, if our community does not presume to install a light post on our street.  Why?  Because we want to discourage sneak-thieves and burglars, and often our neighbors follow our lead and set their own night-lights to be on 24/7 to discourage would-be felons.

Why do I take so many precautions against thievery? 

Because I am loath to shoot anybody .. which is the inevitable fate of anyone who, despite the obvious precautions, decides that I am an easy mark for robbery, or other felonious assaults upon my hearth and my home.   My assumption is, and must be, that anyone who trespasses upon my home with the intent to either rob or assault me is forewarned against felonious assault.

Hey, I gave them fair warning; if they break into my home, they have assumed the risk and decided that I probably not willing to back up my warnings with deadly force.

Well, if they are THAT bold clueless, they probably will improve the Human Race by voluntarily removing their sperm from the gene pool.

Gun Violence is not the issue:

 Violence has many faces, not the least of which is violence against home and hearth.   I consider any such violence by a felon to be a willingness to assault the home owner.   

"I don't know why you are robbing me, but I assume that you are willing to wreak violence against ME, if I find you in my house, and I will defend myself appropriately/.
Which means I will shoot you, because I assume you are willing to shoot me!

I've shot people.  I  have killed people.  I lose a lot of sleep as a consequence.

I'm very pleased that I'm still alive to suffer these consequences of guilt .. and that "those guys" are dead and rotting  on the hills of Viet Nam.   My children are also pleased, because if I had not killed those people .. they would not have been born.